Mental Help
by mlp brony fifer
Summary: a therapist is brought to Equestria a while ago. his time has come to finally help the one who has helped him... by helping the sister of the one who helped him... Princess Luna...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, guys welcome to the first major upload of the month which will happen on the first of every month! I am for once letting my ADHD out of its restraints which means I will type whatever is on my mind and make up new stories whenever they pop up! so be warned I could post like let's say 10 chapters for one story one month but type none the next month for said story! the only stories that will certainly have chapters every month will be Equestrian Ranger and Derpy Sunrise. Equestrian Ranger because it is a story I am making alongside a friend I would gladly call my brother in all but blood and Derpy Sunrise due to the fact it is a story request by someone I would call a friend as well!**

 **now then at the moment, I am currently unemployed which is why all these chapters were uploaded today because I have had a lot of time on my hands. although I did take a few days from typing to play video games lets get back on track! point being I would just like to remind everyone that I am an IMPROVE WRITER! meaning I barely plan any of my writing besides major events and ideas that just pop up in my head that very same day I am typing up the chapters!**

 **so please bear with me here as I upload chapters every month instead of when I have them finished. since its a new year, and a partially new me, I try to respond to all reviews and all PM's that I get and since in the beginning I despised being flamed I am all for it now as it would help me improve my writing!**

 **there are a few regrets I do have such as the halo & my little pony crossovers on my account as they were a prime time I didn't reign in my ADHD well enough... another reason is the only story I have ever adopted and attempted to continue writing only to utterly fail... the story called ****Becoming a Wonderbolt** **. regardless of the follows and dislikes it has I know I have utterly failed just trying to continue the story and if someone doesn't adopt it there is a small chance, and I mean a very small, chance that I will retry continuing it.**

 **well... now that I have all of that off of my chest I got one last thing to say! uploads will start United State's, Oak Harbor, Ohio time at noon exactly every month so you all have a time frame of when I start uploading. I will upload new stories first every time so I can quickly convert any chapters I have over the 50 document limit and prepare them quickly for upload before uploading rewrites and new chapters for current stories. I will try to rewrite all of my My Little Pony stories, except for the ones to do with Halo, so I hope you can all bear with me... i wish you all good luck and know I am on Fanfiction constantly so if you ever need to ask anything don't be afraid to PM me or leave a review although I might be late seeing reviews as I check my emails every couple days which I am trying to turn into a daily thing.**

 **have a good one everyone! LONG LIVE THE HERD!**

 _I had a good night honey_

 _so did I_

 _give me your money!_

 _Get behin-_

 _BANG_

"Doctor Barnes!" I jolted awake from the memories of what caused me to come to this world. The small lime green hand of my secretary, Green Honey. I swear the names the ponies have are just too funny at times but I've learned to not laugh or show any sign of amusement at their names. "are you alright?" she was asking with concern in her tone with worry all over her face. I looked to my left and right quickly to find that I was still in the office. I had to finish up a bunch of paperwork for all my clients due to it being a cleanup day for me. Meaning I organize all of my files since I am not an organized person, to begin with. Green Honey helps when she can but she can't help with the personal files, which is about 80 percent of all my files.

"yeah..." I sat up straight as I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes. "just... remembering..." she gave me another look of worry. "only words this time... no visuals..." she sighed as she looked at me. Her eyes still held worry as she stood up straight. "I'm really alright Honey. Just the lack of sleep."

"please try to get your full hours of sleep Doctor Barnes." she said while giving me a look of sadness. "your ten o clock is here for you." I put my glasses back on my face as I looked her straight in the eyes.

"please send him in please." she nodded as she started to walk away before stopping at the door.

"would you like some coffee sir?" she then asked with a small smile on her face.

"might as well bring the pitcher." she gave a small giggle.

"just sugar?" I nodded as she walked through the door and soon in came a stallion known as Prince Blueblood.

"Hello, once again Blueblood," I stated as he sat down with a scowl.

"that's Prince Blueblood peasant."

"in here everyone is equal Blueblood. Regardless of heritage, blood, adoption, or title." I responded as usual. It was always the same with him. "princess Celestia organized another meeting with me not long after the Grand Galloping Gala. Why don't you tell me..." I pulled out a small tape recorder and placed it on the desk in front of me in a specific spot. Bringing up the rooms enchantments to prevent anyone from listening in. "just why another meeting was put into place?"


	2. Chapter 2

"so you pulled a mare in front of you to take the impact of a cake?" I asked in small annoyance at the fact of what he had done.

"I wasn't going to allow myself to be dirtied by a cake. It's not of my stature." he simply responded with almost no emotion in his tone except for a small amount of arrogance. I sighed as I rubbed my temple.

"Blueblood we have talked about this many times. When you first started coming here on your own terms you wished to become the ruler of Equestria should anything happen to the princesses. Yet after I proved you wrong again and again with how you would rule you stopped coming. Due to Princess Celestia's intervention though she now sets up these meetings in hopes of helping you see the truth and to change your ways. Do you remember your 4th visit Blueblood?" I asked as I opened up the drawer of my most important clients and quickly found Blueblood's 4th visit tape as I pulled it out.

"no, I do not." I grabbed my secondary recorder and inserted the tape into it before setting it onto the desk and hitting play after fast forwarding a little.

" _are you saying I would not be a perfect ruler?!"_

" _listen to yourself Blueblood... and then see how Princess Celestia and Princess Luna rule. The way they rule is through kindness which in turns earns them the loyalty of the occupants of Equestria. Always unbiased towards court cases, never turning a blind eye from injustice, and certainly never being sexist."_

" _that's Prince Blueblood peasant!"_

a sigh was heard.

" _please listen to yourself Blueblood..."_

there was a pause as Blueblood shifted in his seat.

" _there are so many things wrong with how you want to do things. Everyone thinks they would be a perfect ruler but it's that mentality that causes problems to rise up. You would be defied, raised up against, before sooner or later overthrown... if you keep acting how you are I wouldn't be surprised if when Princess Celestia and Princess Luna pass they gave the role of leadership to your cousin princess Cadance."_

I stopped the tape as I crossed my fingers once more and stared at Blueblood in his seat as he was looking away from me. "this is the sixth time I've played it for you Blueblood... but the only way you can get help is if you lose that personality of yours and show your true personality." he froze in his seat. "I'm sorry to say but I've had enough of your fake personality of yours. In this room, everyone is free to be themselves and my patience as worn thin on your keeping yourself hidden." he slowly turned his head with narrowed eyes as he looked into my own eyes.

"I'm scared..." he then answered looking away as I raised my eyebrow. "ponies would try to use me against my aunts. Be it with my own money, my life, I do not wish to be a weak link for my aunt's enemies."

"so you adopted an arrogant personality?" I asked as he looked towards me and nodded.

"by making my aunts dislike me if I was to be used against them they wouldn't think twice about letting me die as long as Equestria would survive."

"but it wouldn't work anyway." he snapped his head towards me with a look of shock on his face. "what do you think Princess Celestia has been doing by sending you back to me when you first quit coming?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "what do you think she was thinking by sending you back?"

"Um..."

"She cares for you Blueblood. Regardless of how you act you are still family to her and she cares for you a lot. Even though you changed your own personality she cares for you greatly!" I quickly took a deep breath to calm down my own nerves as I looked towards the clock next to the door. " I believe we should end early today so you have time to think."

"can you..." I already knew what he was asking.

"she will not find out Blueblood. The Doctor-Patient contract prevents me from saying anything to anybody." he only nodded as he stood up and walked over to the door. "count this session as a freebie. Since basically, its going to be hopefully like meeting someone new." he froze at the door for a moment before I moved the first recorder from its spot releasing the enchantments on the room as he stayed there frozen before he walked out of the room. I placed the recorder back as I quickly summarized the appointment. "client Blueblood first came in with his mask all the way on but further into the appointment I grew tired of his mask after playing the tape from his fourth appointment. I regret to say my own emotions came out during the appointment and caused him to react differently, but I believe it was for good cause. Hopefully the next appointment next week will introduce me to his true personality." I quickly stopped the recorder before I took the tape out and wrote down what number appointment it was for Blueblood before putting it and the other tape away as the enchantments released themselves once again.

Once that was done I pressed a button on the intercom. "yes Doctor Barnes?" I heard through the speaker.

"are there any other appointments today Honey?" I asked as I leaned back in my chair.

"you... have a meeting with Princess Celestia at eleven o clock." I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "it was a quick put in appointment sir. She sent a guard by to be put in as soon as possible for today."

"it's alright. I am glad she made an appointment besides just coming in. did the guard say why?" I then asked her.

"no, he did not. Should I call your twelve o clock appointment and let them know to come at one?" I thought it over.

"yes, please. Thank you very much, Honey." I turned in my chair and looked out the window over the city of Canterlot. Thinking of why Princess Celestia would come in as soon as possible... even going as far as to get an appointment as to not earn my ire... whats happening princess? And why am I involved in this?


	3. Chapter 3

I sat in the chair after having a grilled cheese sandwich and coffee. Soon the intercom came on. "sir princess Celestia has arrived along with a couple guards." I turned in my chair and pressed the button.

"send Princess Celestia in here, please. Tell her guards to stay outside." I took my hand off of the button and waited for not even 10 seconds when Princess Celestia walked in. her horn lit up as the door closed as the enchantments also turned on. "I need your help James." she immediately said with concern in her eyes.

"how can I help Celestia?" I asked her as she sat down in the chair across from me.

"it's my sister Luna. She's been... different lately. She flinches every time she sees me use magic, she's very cautious around me. She has been waking up screaming so many times I need to put a ward up to prevent the guards from getting worried." she says with a very large amount of concern in her voice. " I need your help."

"can you explain how she has been acting weird?" I asked pulling out a notepad and pen.

"shes reluctant to be around me, she flinches whenever she sees magic, she has gotten sloppy raising the moon before becoming a recluse in her own room, shes had many emotional outbursts involving her homecoming, and she has been getting out of all conversations of her time as Nightmare Moon. Becoming afraid of me after the mentioning of it." I quickly wrote it all down before I wrote down four letters and circled them.

"I'm afraid princess this is going to be a long process." I looked her straight in the eye. "but all the evidence points towards PTSD." I answered as she looked confused.

"PTSD?" she asked.

"PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Something that was horrible or scary happened to a person that caused them to develop PTSD. Causing their own mind to think their own lives or other lives are in danger. Its symptoms pop up by seeing or hearing something that causes the memories to relieve themselves in the victims head. It could be caused by many things. Combat, Military sexual trauma, terrorist attacks, physical violence, sexual violence, serious accidents, and even natural disasters could have someone gain PTSD. From what you told me... she is afraid of you..."

"me?!" I nodded. "but I'm her sister!"

"she's afraid of her time as Nightmare Moon as well. She must be afraid of being betrayed by you and being sent to the moon again. Every time you use magic it reminds her of her banishment." she slumped forwards with her hands on her face. I could hear a soft sobbing coming from her. "she can be helped thankfully." her head snapped towards me.

"how can I help her?" she instantly asked.

"there are multiple ways we could help her but I can really only help with one of them. First, she could try medicine such as antidepressants to help her with her worry and sadness but it would mean she would need to get used to the fact of what had happened and get used to being around you. The second option, which I could help with, would be counseling."

"could you really help her?" she asked. Tear stains on her face with bloodshot eyes.

"I could do my best. It would also be a long process just like the medicine but at least I could try and get results to show themselves quicker." I answered. "there are multiple types of counseling as well such as a group treatment, but it wouldn't help her much, brief psychodynamic psychotherapy, and family therapy. If you wish to let me do counseling I would do one on one with her before doing a couple of family sessions with you."

"thank you, James." I gave her a small smile.

"anytime Celestia. Please put up an appointment with Green Heart for as often as you think she would need it."

"would... daily happen to be a choice?" she asked as I blinked at her. "at the moment all Luna does is recover. I haven't given her any of her duties yet as I am still trying to get her adjusted to the current era."

"certainly. I would only have to be paid a seventh of what I would normally ask every appointment to equal a full payment for a week." I answered as she gave me a soft smile. "now then." I pulled out a box of tissues. " I believe you should get rid of those tears. It wouldn't do for a princess to walk out of here with tear stains all over her face?" she gave a small giggle as she floated the box over with her magic and used her hands to dab her face to get rid of the wet tear stains. "since we still have..." I looked at the clock. "thirty minutes for the meeting. Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me? I wouldn't want the appointment to go to waste." she gave me a smile before she began to talk about recent things involving her recent court sessions.

Soon though it was time to end the appointment and Celestia looked like a thousand worries and concerns were off her shoulders. "it's been a pleasure talking to you James. I feel like a young adult again."

"don't think like you never were a young adult Celestia. Your years alive only brought wisdom to your beautiful self and personality." she gained a small blush as I chuckled. It was always fun to tease her as she barely ever got compliments.

"would it be possible to set up an appointment for every month to talk about worries?" she then asked as I nodded.

"I'm here to talk with anybody who wishes to have someone to talk with. As long as they pay I got to make a living somehow." she gave a small giggle before she stood up and fixed her fancy white dress slightly. "we had a good talk, Celestia. I will see you soon." she nodded as she walked out the door after turning off the enchantments as I smiled for a few moments... before I frowned slightly. Princess Luna...

…

…

…

will I be enough to start your recovery?


	4. Chapter 4

I sat waiting in my office as I prepared for Princess Luna's arrival. Her appointment was at 8 o clock every morning for the next month. For preparation princess, Celestia had added another ward to my office which prevented a client from leaving. Knowing princess Luna, Princess Celestia says, she is not going to want the help and would try to leave. Which is also why she added a ward to prevent the use of magic inside of the room.

"Doctor Barnes princess Luna has arrived for her appointment." came Green Honey's voice. I pressed the button as I responded.

"send her in please." soon the door opened and in she walked. She looked confused as to why she was here. "hello Luna please have a seat."

"you do not call me by my title why?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

"if you saw the sign on the door. Inside this room, all are equals regardless of Heritage, blood, and title." I answered for her. "now please... take a seat." she sat down. "no doubt you are wondering why you are here." I moved my tape recorder to its spot as the enchantments and the new wards activated.

"yes. From what I know you are a doctor but my sister would not explain what."

"I am a therapist Luna. I help others talk about their problems as well as give advice." she narrowed her eyes.

"then why would my sister want me to visit a pony to give advice."

"because she has seen the signs, Luna. Flinching away when she uses magic, getting away when Nightmare Moon pops up in a conversation." her eyes became the size on pinpricks as she tried to run away only to find the doorknob wouldn't turn. "we want to help you, Luna. Your suffering from something called PTSD which completely affects your own life." she kept trying to get out before she simply fell to her knees and held her head in her hands as she rocked back and forth as she began to mumble.

Quickly I stood up from my chair and rushed over to her as I put a hand on her shoulder as I caught what I heard her mumbling. "not gonna hurt me not gonna hurt never hurt me not gonna hurt me not gonna hurt me never gonna hurt me." this continued for 10 minutes as I went against my own code and held her. She needed comfort... her sister wouldn't due because she was the source of her PTSD even if she didn't mean it. She needed the comfort of someone no matter who they were. As long as she had someone to put her emotions in.

"w-why..." she then asked as I let go of her. "w-why would you even try to help me. A princess of Equestria."

"because everyone with PTSD... needs help to get better. Your afraid of your sister turning on you, sending you back to the moon, my own sister... suffered from PTSD."

"just... what is PTSD?" she then asked as I began another explanation. She stayed quiet leaning against the door.

"your sister saw the signs but didn't know what to do. She came to me and I explained what the signs entailed and she wants me to help you."

"why can't she help me?" she then asked in a low tone as she looked away.

"because it would only make things worse. You are afraid of her. It's affecting your own thoughts and decisions. While you may think you aren't afraid of her your mind has achieved a fight or flight situation when it concerns it... but you have only been running from her which is a major improvement from actually fighting her." I explained. "you're going to come here every day for two hours for the next month. If no results had been made by the end of the month then you will quit counseling and go on medication to see if that helps." she remained silent. "she wants to help you Luna and so do I. Considering I had to help my sister come over a traumatic experience involving her and a man I truly wish to help you. Now come take a seat... please?" I almost pleaded as she remained still before she walked over to the seat as I gave a small sigh of relief. Her eyes were now bloodshot and she had tears in her eyes. "now I am going to ask some small questions. Feel free to ask your own alright?" she wiped her eyes as she gave a nod. "first let's begin with your name.

"L-Luna Faust." I nodded.

"a pleasure to meet you, Luna Faust. I am James Barnes your therapist for as long as your sister sees fit. Now... what do you think about your sister?" I then asked her.

"shes... kind... caring... loving... towards just about everypony." she seemed saddened at the end as I caught onto the change.

"what about towards you?" I then asked as she hesitated. "this is what PTSD is doing to you. Stopping you from truly thinking what is right and wrong. How about we start from your farthest memory." she nodded. "what is the first thing that comes to your mind when you were a young foal?" she looked down and gave a small chuckle.

"my sister bursting out of her own birthday cake... mother and father surprised she was even in it without them knowing... the same day she earned her cake addiction..." I have a small smile. "could... I ask you a question?" I gave a bigger smiled.

"I already said you could." she gave me a smile.

"what... was your sister like?" I gave a small frown before I smiled.

"she was a person who wouldn't take anyone's words for granted and hated being guilt tripped. She was proud to be a woman in my homeworld. But it all changed after her... experience..."

"experience?" I looked at her with a small frown.

"the same experience that caused her to gain PTSD. I helped her recover but after that, she became afraid of all men. I had to help her find a different job because she worked around men a lot. I was still helping her when I was killed." she gave a small frown as she gave me a look of sympathy. "now next question. What were your mother and father like?" I was asking these questions to hopefully find a point in time that caused her to become Nightmare Moon. I just didn't find her becoming jealous to be a viable reason as to her becoming it. It might have propped her to turn into it but it didn't start it.

"mother was stern and gave almost to high expectations. She always loved us though regardless of what happened and we didn't reach her expectations. Father was also strict but only when it concerned politics which he took to teaching us. We lived in secret as both my sister and I were told we would be the saviors of the pony race. My sister was given the day to look over while I was given the night." she answered. "what about your own parents?"

"my mother was an alcoholic. Always drinking. She would always come home drunk and sometimes beat me. My father never saw this as he loved my mother but he would help me when I needed it. I thought that being beaten was an average part of everyone's childhood but when I learned about it in elementary school I told someone and she was taken away. My father may not have liked it but he knew that she needed help when he learned the full extent of what she had done." I told her. "now next question. When did you and your sister reveal yourself to the world?"


	5. Chapter 5

"I believe we made some progress Luna." she smiled. "now then to repeat one of my first questions... what do you think... of Celestia?" she froze for a moment before she looked down at her hands sitting on top of where her legs would be if she wasn't wearing the fancy dress.

"shes... strong... powerful... caring... kind... scary..." she started to say but she froze once she said the final word. "i... really am scared of her..." she almost broke down crying again until I spoke.

"but that doesn't mean she doesn't care for you. You may be scared of her but she will always love you regardless of what has happened. When I first came to Equestria was only a few months before you... returned... and I had gotten to know your sister as I had stayed at the castle until I got to my own feet. She missed you very much, Luna. Enough to where she would sing your favorite lullaby every sunrise and sunset as she would move the sun and the moon." she looked away slightly. " I already know what your mind is thinking. I could be lying to you. Lying to hide the fact that your own sister... would want to hurt you..." she snapped her head towards me. "its the same way my own sister thought at first. Thinking I would hurt her just like the same man who hurt her. I never once went back on my promise to help her and she recovered enough to where she could go out and work without flinching and running away screaming at every male she saw. Now I believe that is all the time we have Luna so I suggest you get going and think about what we have talked about here today."

she nodded as she stood up from her seat and wiped away her tears and eyes before I moved the tape recorder, lowering the enchantments and wards, before she walked out and closed the door behind her as I quickly moved the tape recorder back so I could do my summary. "client Luna Faust had her first visit today and thanks to it being a two hour appointment we got much more done than normal clients. I have learned more about her up to the point that she and her sister had defeated a god known as Discord and started to rule Equestria. I have come to find that she has a trigger that causes her breakdowns the most and must notify her sister of these words to help prevent any more breakdowns. The words are Nightmare Moon. They cause her to break down and remember exactly when her own sister banished her with a look of rage on her face." I turned off the recorder as I quickly marked down her name and the number one before I closed my curtains and walked over to a large potted plant. Moving the planet revealed a safe built into the floor as I quickly did a combination and put the tape inside. Inside was also my personal belongings like my photos of my family and wife as well as a few letters that were in my pocket I had wished to send but never could. Closing the safe I reset the combination before putting the plant back into its place.

Standing up I walked over to the door and walked out. "Green Honey I will return in time for my eleven o clock appointment." she gave me a nod as I quickly walked through the hall, down the stairs, through another hall, then out the door as I began to make my way to the castle. The guards let me through knowing I was allowed in the castle at any time as I quickly began making my way to the throne room. Soon I reached the room and was surprised to find no nobles waiting outside of it.

"the princess cleared up any nobles waiting to see her after ten o clock." a nearby guard told me as I nodded.

"is she free at the moment?" I then asked as he nodded. "am I allowed inside?" he responded by opening the door and allowing me to walk in. I saw Celestia sitting on her throne as I approached and I could see the concern in her eyes.

"James... how is she?"

"she is broken princess but she can be helped." she gave a sigh of relief. " I came to notify you that I found out she has a trigger which I believe you already know."

"a... trigger?" I nodded.

"basically something that would cause her to react the most. Such as a specific item or words. In her case its two very specific words... Nightmare Moon." I told her. " I suggest that you try your best to quell anybody saying these words until I can tell you for certain she would not react to them."

"thank you for notifying me, James. Is there anything else you can tell me about." I shook my head.

"no princess. All I could tell you was a small amount of progress was made today." she gave me a small smile.

"I thank you again for helping my sister James." I gave her a smile of my own.

"no problem princess. I will let you know if anything comes up that's more important than the patient-doctor contract." she nodded as I walked out of the room and towards the entrance... I passed by Princess Luna on the way as she looked surprised. I gave her a greeting which she returned before rushing off. I had a bad feeling about what she might be thinking about me in the castle.

I just hope it wouldn't bother tomorrow's appointment. After about 10 minutes I made it back to the office to find my eleven o clock appointment there early by 30 minutes. I could see the mare sitting there worried while her son played in the play area. "Doctor Barnes!" she whisper-yelled as she rushed over to me. "please... you must help my son... he met his father over the weekend and he... reverted!" the young colt, Iron Noble, was the son of a noble who saw all mares as property and soon gained the same mindset at a very young age. The mare in front of me was his ex-wife who gained custody over Iron Noble but wished to get him over to a regular colts mindset. "Hi, Iron!" I stated after nodding towards the distraught wife. "how about we go and have a small talk?"


End file.
